


At the Front

by Evil_Little_Dog



Category: Fullmetal Alchemist
Genre: Community: fma_fic_contest, Gen, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-04
Updated: 2014-01-04
Packaged: 2018-01-07 09:26:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1118246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evil_Little_Dog/pseuds/Evil_Little_Dog
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Summary:  The things you do to keep your sanity while in the war front.<br/>Disclaimer:  This is Arakawa’s world, I just dabble in it from time to time.</p>
            </blockquote>





	At the Front

Bombs whistled overhead, one of them exploding close to the trench. Kain ducked his head as dust rained down, the dirt clots rattling against his helmet. Some of it slithered under his collar, a tickling trail along his back. Kain shuddered, wriggling his shoulders, but the dirt lodged, sticking to his skin. 

“That one was close, huh?” Marvin hunkered deeper against the trench’s wall. 

“Too close,” Gina grumbled. She adjusted her rifle, checking to make sure no dirt lodged in the workings. 

“Take heart, they’ll get closer,” Marvin told her, his smirk reminding Kain of Colonel Mustang. 

Gina showed Marvin her teeth as another bomb whistled over their bunker. More dirt exploded on them, and she spat out grit. “Talk about something else.” 

“What else is there to talk about?” Shrugging, Marvin pulled his helmet a little tighter to his skull.

“What we’re going to do when we get out of here,” Kain said. When the other two looked at him, Marvin amused, Gina in disbelief, he went on. “Mom didn’t raise this boy,” he hooked his thumb at his chest, “to die on the front lines.” 

“We’re all going to die here,” Marvin snapped. 

“Boys, boys,” Gina said, having to raise her voice over the rattle of machine gun fire. “If we last out the month, we’ll get three day passes. What’re you going to do with yours?” 

“I’m going to get out of Fotset, isn’t that enough? Go far enough away there’s no bullets and bombs, going somewhere I don’t have to eat military rations. God, I’d kill for a steak,” Marvin sighed. “All juicy and dripping.” He wiped the corner of his mouth, leaving a smear of dirt behind. “And I’ll have wine with it. A rich red, maybe one of the northern wines. And onions, and a potato, and some green beans, still a little crisp, not mushy.”

Gina snorted. “You just want to eat?” 

“Well, I’d like to eat with a pretty girl,” Marvin said. He gave her a long look. “You might do.” 

She flipped him an obscene gesture. “I’m not going anywhere with you, you lecher.” 

“So, what are you doing, Gina?” 

Turning her attention to Kain, she smiled a little. “Taking a bath. A long, hot bath, and then I’m letting the water run out,” she wriggled, her eyes half-closing in delight, “and filling the tub again, and soaking this stupid war out of my pores. And, wherever I go, I’m going some place where there’s room service, so I can stretch out in a real bed, and have someone bring me food that doesn’t have weevils or worms in it.” 

Dirt scattered down over them again, making them all duck reflexively. Somewhere, far closer than Kain wanted to hear, someone screamed in agony, a long string of curses, then, a single gunshot cut off that noise. Kain gritted his teeth, adjusting the cable pack on his shoulders. Soon, he’d have to run again, with Gina and Marvin providing his cover. 

As if he read Kain’s mind, Marvin raised his rifle, giving it a cursory check for grit in its workings. “Break’s over, people,” he said. 

Kain checked to make sure the cable would spool out when he ran. “I’m ready,” he said, getting into a crouch. 

Gina tugged at her helmet, as if it would offer any more protection. “Ready,” she agreed, getting her feet under her. 

“On three,” Marvin said, holding up a finger. “One.” 

“Kain, what’re you doing when you get your pass?” Gina asked. 

“Two,” Marvin said. He smiled grimly, and raised the third finger as he took off running through the trench. 

Kain thought of Mustang, and everything left he had to accomplish on his way to becoming Fuhrer. He told Gina, “Getting the hell out of here,” and chased after Marvin. 


End file.
